“Special part†refers to a part of meat that can only be obtained in small amounts from meat such as pork, beef, and chicken. Among them, special parts of chicken were often disposed of or discarded at a low price because they had a lot of bones and didn't have much fat. Recently, the number of restaurants that prepare their own chicken and serve parts that cannot be easily tasted elsewhere is increasing one by one, creating a new craze. Skewered dishes have developed in Japan since ancient times, and “kushiage,†where seafood, meat, and vegetables are deep-fried on skewers, and “yakitori,†grilled over charcoal and grilled with salt and soy sauce, are representative. In particular, the special part of chicken came into the country in the form of yakitori and became a food that went beyond a snack bought and eaten on the street when hungry.
Yakitori made with chicken comes from “pork tenderloin (seseri),†which is tender meat with bones applied from the chicken neck, to “cartilage (nankotsu),†which has an excellent chewy texture, “sunagimo (sunagimo),†which has an excellent chewy texture, “skin (skin)†that fills the mouth with a savory flavor, “heart (heart)†full of umami, light “tenderloin (tenderloin)†with low fat, and “liver (liver),†which boasts a rich, green flavor There are a variety of varieties, such as “),†which adds to the fun of eating. The yakitori, which is charcoal-grilled and has a subtle flavor, is fun to eat one by one, making it perfect as a snack for drinks. Here are 5 of life's best yakitori restaurants where you can enjoy the chewy texture and savory flavor at the same time.
Grilled chicken restaurants include Yakitori in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul; Kuishinbo in Hapjeong-dong; Kuishinbo in Seodaemun Chungjeong-ro; Toriaez in Yaksu-dong; Sang-su Kushimura in Yeonnam-dong; Yoko-cho in Hannam-dong, Kamisori in Hannam-dong; Mangwon Toad House in Mangwon-dong; Itaewon Hannam-dong Semgye, Sinsa-dong Waraku; Yeonnam-dong Miyazaki Store; Apgujeong Dosan Park Restaurant; Garosu-gil Kuishinbo; Busan Suyeong Gyestorang, Suyeong Gyeyanggan Famous places include Busan Seomyeon Torigoya Family Chunil, Busan Jeonpo Cafe Street Yataimise, Apgujeong Torijun, Sinchon Idae Daejeon Haejang Guk, Seongsu Kondae Gyetanjip, Mulrae Culture and Art Village Junmu, Seohyeon Zanjan, and Shinnonhyeon Hikaru.
1. “Yakitori Juku†in Yeonnam-dong, presented with homemade free-range chicken
Image source: K.minjeong's Instagram
Image source: K.minjeong's Instagram
“Yakitori Juku†is made by hand boning and dismantling the 18th chicken, which is the largest among local chickens, so you can find parts such as liver and tail that cannot be easily found anywhere else. From 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., the omaka tax is divided into 1 and 2 parts, and after that, walk-in customers can also enter. The signature menu is “Yakitori Omakase 3.5,†which features dishes such as petrified fish, grilled vegetables, and meatballs, 5 types of yakitori, main menu, meal, and dessert one after the other. Using a mild amount of salt and sauce, you can fully enjoy the natural savory flavor of the local chicken received on the same day. Among the courses, the “chicken liver pate,†which captivates the taste buds with its rich flavor, and the “skewered thigh skewers,†which have a rich juiciness, are the most popular.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 165-1 Seongmisan-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
▲Business hours: 19:00 — 01:00 every day, closed on Sundays and Mondays
â–²Price: Yakitori omakase 3.5 35,000 won, yakitori omakase 1.8 18,000 won
â–²Testimonial (I can't eat anything that doesn't taste good): The menu says it's more delicious when eaten with wine, so I ordered wine together. It was my first time eating yakitori with wine, and it went much better than I expected. They said they made it with free-range chicken, but it was nice that the chicken skewers had a juicy feel.
2. “Toriaez†in Yaksu-dong, where you can feel free to pick and enjoy whatever you like
Image source: Antennabeam's Instagram
Image source: Antennabeam's Instagram
Instead of a signboard, “Toriaez†catches the eye with a banner with the name of the store written in black letters on a white background. You can enjoy a variety of yakitori at a reasonable price, so it is loved by many as a second place. There are a variety of menus, from grilled skewers using ingredients such as meat, vegetables, seafood, and eggs to sashimi, rice balls, and horse mackerel, so it's fun to choose whatever you like. The signature menu, “thighs,†is a skewer sandwiched alternately between thick sliced green onions and chicken thighs, grilled until golden brown. Sweet, ripe green onions add flavor to thigh meat, which has a mild aroma of fire. Please note that there is also an annex across from the store.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 13, Dongho-ro 10-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
▲Business hours: 18:00 — 02:00 every day
â–²Price: 2,000 won for thighs, 1,700 won for skin
â–²Testimonial (shikigin rainhunting): Starting with the basic cabbage snack, it's delicious. Basically, it's based on sauce, and the unique flavors and ingredients of the sauce go well together. I always start with 2 thighs, and it goes great with highballs.
3. “Yokocho†in Yeonnam-dong, where you can enjoy various parts at once
Image source: mukboboo's Instagram
Image source: content.design on Instagram
“Yokocho†creates an exotic yet cute atmosphere using yellow signs, foreign language posters all over the place, and colorful lights. The interior of the store consists of a variety of spaces, from bar seats to regular tables and seating tables. The signature menu “7-piece set†basically consists of chicken, chicken offal, three-layer roll, and tsukune. Ingredients and parts may change slightly depending on the supply and demand of ingredients on the day, such as chicken thighs, chicken wings, sandboxes, salt pumpkins, etc. It's a great place to enjoy a variety of textures and flavors at once, such as the moist flesh of chicken, the chewiness of salt, and the soft texture of pork ribs.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 161-15 Seongmisan-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
â–²Business hours: Monday to Saturday 18:00 to 02:00, Sunday 18:00 to 00:00
â–²Price: 7-piece set 19,000 won, tsukune 5,000 won
â–²Testimonial (Houssett Houssett): Dorando is a perfect place to have a drink while talking. Yakitori is basically delicious, and the other snacks are also delicious. In particular, the mentaiko omelette is one of the must-try dishes because it goes great with real sake!
4. “Kushimura†in Sangsu-dong, a charming texture that melts softly
Image source: soooool_89 on Instagram
Image source: chadoo_good's Instagram
“Kushimura†offers yakitori with chicken as the main ingredient. It is characterized by the fact that only a fixed quantity is sold on the same day to maintain fresh flavors. The signature menu, “Chicken Tenderloin,†is made by putting a large sheath on the long chicken tenderloin and then cooking it to medium rare. The white exterior blends with the contrasting colors of the pink inner skin, making the most of the taste buds. The soft, crunchy texture that is soft and melt-in-your-mouth makes you feel like eating tadaki. The raw wasabi served together on the plate enhances the flavor of chicken tenderloin and at the same time enhances the overall umami.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 13, Wausan-ro 3-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
▲Opening hours: 18:30 — 02:00 every day, closed on Sundays
â–²Price: Chicken tenderloin 4,500 won, Kushimura set 36,000 won
â–²Testimonial (Shikigin Tibberger for residents): As rumored, it's definitely delicious. Since yakitori is commonly known as street food, I thought it would be a waste of money to buy it at a place like an izakaya, but Kushimura wanted to spend more money to eat it.
5. Hapjeong “Kuishinbo,†where a variety of flavors and textures unfold
Image source: Beckham0070's Instagram
Image source: tid_yujin's Instagram
“Kuishinbo†is an izakaya created together by chefs from Tsuji Cooking School in Japan. It has a manufacturing machine dedicated to highballs and a draft beer filter, which are few in Korea, and is loved by many fans. The signature menu is “yakitori,†where skewers made from raw meat are seasoned with Himalayan pink salt on bijangtan and served to customers every day. There are 15 types of chicken on the menu, including chicken, thigh, cartilage, shoulder, and chicken drumsticks, so it's a great place to enjoy the different textures and flavors of each part. There is also a set menu where you can enjoy chicken, pork, and vegetable skewers all at once, and you can choose between 5 and 8 types.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 2F, 38 Yanghwa-ro 6-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
▲Business hours: 17:30 — 01:00 on weekdays; 17:30 — 02:00 on Fridays; 17:00 — 02:00 on Saturdays; 17:00 — 00:00 on Sundays; closed on the second and fourth Sundays
â–²Price: Leg meat 3,600 won, 8 types of yakitori 25,500 won
â–²Testimonial (I really live alone): I tried chicken cartilage for the first time, and I was addicted to it because of its unique texture. Highball also has more air bubbles than other places, so it's a refreshing experience because it feels good and you can see them grilling when you sit at the bar.
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